Exactly a year after announcing his Test retirement and stepping away from India\u2019s traditional whites, Virat Kohli has underlined that his competitive fire is far from extinguished. In IPL 2026, the Royal Challengers Bengaluru batter struck an unbeaten century to guide RCB comfortably through their chase against KKR, looking as sharp as ever despite being 37. The timing was still exacting, and the way he accelerated through the innings carried the same intensity that has defined his best years.<\/p>\n
After helping Bengaluru return to the top of the table, Kohli spoke about why batting still feels effortless to him\u2014at least from the inside. He framed it as a lifelong devotion rather than a job that has to be \u201cmanaged\u201d, and stressed that the privilege of playing at the highest level, alongside the world\u2019s leading players, continues to drive him.<\/p>\n
\u201cWell, I just love batting, even after all this. You know, that\u2019s my core feeling. Look, what an honour to be playing at this level. What an honour to be competing with the very best in the world still,\u201d Kohli said following his match-winning knock in Raipur.<\/p>\n
He added that the sport remains central to who he is, whether he is contributing with the bat or doing his bit in the field. \u201cThis is all I\u2019ve done all my life. Cricket is absolutely something that I truly love. And I just give my heart and soul out there on the field, whether I\u2019m fielding or batting, because it\u2019s going to finish one day,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n
With this form, Kohli is also in line for a fourth straight IPL season of 500-plus runs\u2014an achievement only two other players have managed in the competition. In his earlier peak years, he had fallen short of this specific consistency, making the present stretch even more notable.<\/p>\n
Kohli\u2019s current workload also comes with a broader context. The absence of Test cricket has been keenly felt, and even though his red-ball numbers have softened compared to the ferocity of his earlier era, India have continued to miss his presence in that format. Having already retired from T20 internationals, he remains involved in ODI cricket, where he has been enjoying one of the strongest phases of his long career.<\/p>\n
Asked how he keeps raising his standards, Kohli pointed to mindset and role clarity within the RCB environment. He suggested that leadership doesn\u2019t disappear\u2014he is still clearly a guiding presence\u2014but without the constant pressure of captaincy, he can let his natural energy and personality come forward more freely.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd I want to make the most of every day that I\u2019m on the field and just enjoy myself and have a lot of fun and look forward to a pressure situation, look forward to scenarios where I\u2019m feeling a bit of heat,\u201d Kohli said. \u201cAnd then I challenge myself to say, you know what, just go for it. And when you cross the line, it makes you a better player. And sport, as you know, teaches you a lot as a person as well. So you build your character slowly and surely when you keep performing under pressure.\u201d<\/p>\n
For Kohli, even all the talk about roles and runs settles down the moment he walks in with the bat. The most telling part of his game often shows up during difficult chases\u2014especially ones that demand patience at the start while still punishing loose deliveries. In innings like the one he played, with a target of 193 on a pitch offering something for bowlers and with a couple of early wickets swinging the momentum, Kohli repeatedly looks like he is playing with a plan of his own.<\/p>\n
His approach tends to be clean and calculated: taking a quick single when needed, finding a couple in the gaps, and then converting the right ball into a boundary. Over time, the timing becomes sharper, and the confidence to lift the strike beyond the infield grows. That combination\u2014measured control followed by sudden impact\u2014is what still makes the experience special for him.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd for me, even after all these years and numbers and whatever you said, it\u2019s still the love for the game. I just love hitting the ball in the middle of the bat. And that joy is still there. And it\u2019s all God\u2019s grace. And I\u2019m very thankful and grateful,\u201d Kohli concluded, with his focus now turning to pushing RCB toward back-to-back wins in the IPL.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Exactly a year after announcing his Test retirement and stepping away from India\u2019s traditional whites, Virat Kohli has underlined that his competitive fire is far…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":9604,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_yoast_wpseo_title":"IPL 2026: Kohli Unbeaten Century Powers RCB vs KKR","_yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"Virat Kohli\u2019s unbeaten century lights up IPL 2026 as RCB outclass KKR in the chase\u2014relive the match turning moments and key stats.","footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9605","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ipl"],"yoast_head":"\n